'Dallas' does Dallas: Where to find the Ewings now

By Jennings Brown, Special to CNN • Updated 13th June 2012

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Who shot J.R.? Why is zombie Bobby taking a shower? And can Texans really pull off a cowboy hat with a suit? A new incarnation of the groundbreaking television saga that raised these questions will return to TNT June 13.

The new series isn't just a remake; it's a continuation of the original, which means that television's most notorious family is back in the Big D. But the city has changed a lot since we last checked in with J.R. and company.

For instance, it lost a lot of oil derricks and gained a few modern marvels, including a signature bridge and a stadium that rivals the construction of the Death Star. Women's hairstyles aren't as high and neither are the peaks of 10-gallon Stetsons. The Dallas Cowboys are now a source of great embarrassment and the Texas Rangers are the pride of the metroplex.

But that's not to say there isn't still plenty of the unapologetic glam and high-society Western culture celebrated in the show's original 14 seasons. The Ewing clan would feel just as at home in today's Dallas as they did during the series' heyday. Here are a few spots where you just might run into them.

J.R. wouldn't be caught dead in this dive bar that's covered floor to ceiling in graffiti, photos, stickers, neon lights and mounted horns. But a younger Ewing would feel right at home at Adair's, where you're likely to see just as many businessmen as you do cowboys.

The 49-year-old honky tonk features some of the best burgers in Dallas and live music almost every night (usually of the country and western persuasion), and you're more than welcome to join the trove of two-steppers, whether you're wearing designer or dungarees.

Highland Park Village

Bang & Olufsen, Harry Winston,Diane von Furstenberg, Hermes, Stella McCartney, Chanel, and Christian Louboutin are just a few of the high-end shopping options available at this 20,000-square-foot outdoor mall. You might find one of the Ewing boys shopping for a $130,000 rifle at the Beretta Gallery, or a soon-to-be Mrs. Ewing picking out an Oscar de la Renta wedding dress at Warren Barrón Bridal.

Of course, the Ewings would be nothing without the world-renowned Southfork Ranch. The home base of Dallas' most famous TV dynasty actually sits just outside the city, in Parker, Texas.

The Ranch is still alive and well, and has served as a tourist destination and an event and conference center since the '80s. Many of Dallas' most elite soirees are held on the property, including the Cattle Baron's Ball, which draws in thousands of guests donning their finest Western attire.

South Side on Lamar

This time around the Ewings are spending about as much time around Dallas' South Side as they are around Southfork. Members of the cast and crew stayed in the South Side on Lamar, a loft apartment building that lures creative spirits and young professionals, and provides the city's best views of the Dallas skyline. Many of the scenes were also filmed in South Side, which originally served as the home of the historic Sears, Roebuck & Co.'s Catalog Merchandise Center.

Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House

Dallas' new stunning, state-of-the-art opera house is the most prestigious venue in the world that warmly welcomes cowboy boots. Eager to promote culture in North Texas, Margot and Bill Winspear donated $42 million with a vision of promoting great opera to help Dallas become a top international city.

Located in the AT&T Performing Arts Center, the opera house has certainly upped the city's cultural cred. In 2010, the Winspear hosted Dallas' first opera premiere, with Jake Heggie's"Moby-Dick," and with each new show, the venue has continued to help fulfill the Winspears' dream.

Saint Ann Restaurant & Bar

"Dallas" veteran Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing) and newcomer Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos) were spotted filming at this minimalist Uptown restaurant set in an old Catholic school house, the first in the city to teach Hispanic children. With a chalkboard wall, notebook-paper menus and original beams sitting below glass flooring, you won't soon forget the trendy restaurant's past life.

But history isn't all Saint Ann has to offer -- the eatery also features the city's largest patio garden and one of the longest pre-seat waiting periods. So be sure to make a reservation.

Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek

For starters, it's so elegant it's known simply as The Mansion. It's also the most historic and elite hotel in Dallas, and the bar and restaurant are no exception. The Mansion Bar's recent renovation enhanced the den's club ambiance, with cognac-colored leather walls covered in fine art and shelves filled with leather-bound books. You half-expect to see J.R. sitting out on the terrace overlooking Turtle Creek, sipping on his signature Bourbon and Branch cocktail.